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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23875249">Vulnerable</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlyphArchive/pseuds/GlyphArchive'>GlyphArchive</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Baahubali (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Men Crying, Self-Doubt, Trust</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 01:00:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,018</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23875249</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlyphArchive/pseuds/GlyphArchive</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>There were times when even Amarendra was not immune to doubt or despair.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Amarendra Baahubali/Devasena</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Vulnerable</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Devasena often felt proud of her instincts and quick responses to the world around her. With her child growing closer to delivery she had found herself more easily disturbed by even the littlest sounds on some nights; waking to find that she’d unconsciously held her breath long enough for it to burn at in the depths of her lungs, anticipating some unknown threat. The hyper-awareness of a tigress, Kumar had gently teased her once; which her husband had echoed with fondness in his eyes as he kissed her hands in private.</p>
<p>Now it was not some invisible danger that brought her up out of a shallow sleep, but the sound of dry sniffling at her side. She listened, breathing slow and quiet as her mind adjusted to wakefulness. Occasionally a heavy exhale would interrupt the light sniffling which had snared her attention, accompanied by Amarendra shifting on his side of their bed. He’d angled himself away from her at some point in the night, Devasena noted; likely hoping that such a tiny bit of distance might lessen the chance of her being disturbed.</p>
<p>Possible causes of her husband’s distress flitted through her mind as she tried not to let on that she was awake; ranging from the mundane to harsher, more personal sources. It was unlikely that he’d succumbed to allergies, since he had none. He’d eaten nothing that would have troubled him at dinner, nor had he indulged in more than a brief sip of wine.</p>
<p>Tired of guessing Devasena pushed herself up, not at all surprised when Amarendra grew silent as she did. It took a moment to find a comfortable position that did not strain on her immediately, the ever-present ache in the small of her back dully making itself known as she settled. At first she only laid a hand on Amarendra’s upper arm, privately reveling in the feeling of warm skin and solid muscle under her palm. He relaxed a little under her touch, breathing out a sigh as her thumb began to chart small circles over a scar he’d earned before they met.</p>
<p>“A nightmare?” Devasena asked softly, nudging him to turn and face her so she could properly look at him. Amarendra complied after a moment of resistance; swallowing hard enough that she heard it in the dark.</p>
<p>“No, my dear.” His hand covered her own, squeezing briefly and she thought he might have been trying to smile through words alone to ease her worries; though it did not manage to carry well in his voice. Clearing his throat Amarendra tried again, now cradling her hand as though she were precious. “It is nothing really. Just a brief – “</p>
<p>“If you say that it is nothing more than a brief swing of mood,” Devasena cut him off slowly, a light warning in her tone. “Then I will call you a liar and ask you again.” In a softer tone she added, “If you are truly uncomfortable I shall not ask. But you are upset and it is not fair for you to support me and not receive the same. Especially now that you’ve proven a charging bull is no trouble for you.”</p>
<p>He laughed, weak and quiet yes; but a laugh all the same.</p>
<p>“I would prefer the bull, in this case.” Amarendra confided lightly, once he’d gotten a hold of himself. Devasena allowed herself to smile briefly in the dark, curling her fingers around his and squeezing back. He returned the gesture, sighing lowly before moving to sit up as well. It was a small thing that he did not release her hand, or perhaps it was significant to the situation; but Devasena reveled in it all the same.</p>
<p>His thumb brushed over the rise of her knuckles slowly, as he usually did when gathering his thoughts. That, along with how Amarendra carefully leaned into her for just a moment, told Devasena that he was trying to find the right words to answer her question.</p>
<p>“I wonder… if I have failed.” He said at last, stubble tickling her as he spoke. Something warm and wet dripped onto her skin and Devasena squeezed his hand a little harder, encouraging him to continue.</p>
<p>“And how have you failed?”</p>
<p>“That I have failed you by not upholding my promise enough.” Amarendra’s voice grew thick, his words heavy. “That I have failed you by acting rashly, or by being too careful. That our little one may suffer for it, in the future.”</p>
<p>Her shoulder was slightly damp now but Amarendra did not seem to notice, lost in thought as he grew quiet. Devasena waited, partly curious to hear if something else had been adding onto such worries. If it were the one she suspected the most.</p>
<p>“I wonder if I have failed as a son.” Amarendra confessed, slowly drawing away as if to put distance between himself and the admission.</p>
<p>Devasena stopped him with a hand, finding his cheek and turning him towards her. They considered one another silently in the ash-gray light, until she guided him down to plant a firm kiss on the curve of his mouth.</p>
<p>“Perhaps in <i>their</i> eyes you may have failed.” She told him quietly, feeling him flinch from her words but holding him steady nonetheless. “We can never know. But you have kept your promise to me and done your best to uphold what is right. What else can they ask besides that, when you have given them so much?”</p>
<p>Amarendra let out a sound, caught somewhere between disagreeing and being overwhelmed by emotion. He’d done much the same before, whenever someone had attempted to pay back his own considerable generosity.</p>
<p>“We cannot always change how others think, no matter how much we may wish for it.” Devasena remarked with only a little bitterness, kissing his damp cheek before drawing back. “But we may be satisfied in knowing that we’ve done all we can. Now, come here. It is easier to get my arm around you when you’re facing me.”</p>
<p>He shifted, meeting her next kiss without reluctance; obeying when she pulled him down back to the bed.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Written in response to an anon's prompt for Amarendra to get some much needed TLC.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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